1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk device that is capable of smoothly ejecting a disk that has been loaded therein.
2. Background Information
FIG. 6 shows an example of a known disk device. FIG. 6 shows a disk tray 101 at the closed position, turntable 102, and a horizontal bar 104 supporting a clamp 103. In this disk device, the disk tray 101 moves in an arrow F direction from the closed position shown in the drawing and arrives at an open position that is not shown in the drawing. The disk tray 101 can also move in a direction opposite the arrow F direction from the open position and arrives at the closed position shown in the drawing.
At the open position, a disk D is loaded in a disk loading region Z1 formed as a concave receptacle on the disk tray 101. The disk loading region Z1 corresponding to a disk D of a large size, and a disk loading region Z2 corresponding to a disk (not shown in the drawing) of a small size and formed concentrically at the center position of the disk loading region Z1 are formed in the disk tray 101 as shown FIG. 6. These two disk loading regions Z1 and Z2 are used in accordance with the size of the disk.
The turntable 102 is positioned below the disk D loaded in the disk tray 101, which is moved from the open position to the closed position, such that when the turntable 102 is raised, the disk D loaded in the disk loading region Z1 (or disk loading region Z2) of the disk tray 101 is received by the turntable 102 and lifted from the disk tray 101. Thus, when the turntable 102 lifts the disk D, a clamp 103 disposed above the disk D overlaps the top surface of the disk D and operates its suction function such that the disk D is pressed against the turntable 102. The disk D is chucked by the turntable 102 and clamp 103 through this series of operations. Thereafter, when a recording or playing mode is selected, the turntable 102 rotates together with the disk D, and writing or reading is performed on the recording surface of the disk D by an optical pickup not shown in the drawing.
In this disk device, the disk tray 101 is assembled to a frame body not shown in the drawing so as to be movable between the closed position and the open position. The horizontal bar 104, which is formed of resin, is formed unitarily with the frame body as a one-piece member. Hereinafter, the direction of the arrow F is referred to as the frontward direction, while the direction opposite the arrow F is referred to as the rearward direction.
A downward facing projection 141 is formed at a rear end portion of the horizontal bar 4, as shown in FIG. 6. When the disk D loaded in the disk loading region Z1 (or disk loading region Z2) of the disk tray 1 disengages from the disk loading region Z1 and shifts rearward from the region Z1 (or Z2) for any reason, this downward facing projection 141 contacts the peripheral edge of the disk D as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 6, such that the disk D is prevented from going behind the horizontal bar 104.
In the disk device described with reference to FIG. 6, when the peripheral edge of a disengaged disk D shifts rearward from the disk tray 101 is stopped by the downward facing projection 141 indicated by the dashed lines, and at the same time the disk ejection mode is selected such that the disk tray 101 is moved in the arrow F direction from the closed position shown in the drawing to an open position, only the disk tray 101 may move to the open position. The disk D may remain within the body structure due to the inclination of the disk D. As a result, the disk D cannot be ejected from the disk tray 101.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it has also been conceived to add upward facing portions 212 to the disk tray 201, such that when the disk tray 201 moves from the closed position to the open position, the upward facing portions 212 stop the peripheral edge of the flying disk D that has disengaged from the disk loading region Z1 (or disk loading region Z2) of the disk tray 201. In this manner, the disk D will be ejected from the disk tray 201.
Although there are some improvements in remedying the problem of the disk D remaining within the body structure from the addition of the upward facing portions 212 on the disk tray 201, the problems discussed below are now discovered.
When the peripheral edge of the disk D is stopped by the downward facing horizontal bar 241 when the disengaged disk D moves rearward from the disk tray 201 as shown in FIG. 8, and at the same time the disk ejection mode is selected, the disk tray 201 is caused to move from the closed position shown in the drawing to the open position. At this time, the upward facing portions 212 fail to engage the peripheral edge of the disk D depending on the inclination of the disk D. Instead, the upward facing portions 212 slide in the F direction beneath the disk D as indicated by the dashed lines, with the result that the disk D cannot be ejected. In this case, not only is the disk D prevented from being ejected by due to the upward facing portions 212 locking the underside of the disk D, there is concern that the disk tray 201 may be jammed and may no longer open smoothly.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved disk device that overcomes the problems of the known art. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.